What Does This One Mean?
by Spamano4ever
Summary: When a customer with an unusual order comes into the shop, Antonio is both amused and fascinated. What could this be for?


**Wow, it's been a while since I've posted, but I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. This was an AU idea I saw on tumblr, and I just had to write it out.**

 **So, to demisexualmerrill, thanks for the passive-aggressive flower idea, and koscheiis, thanks for the flower meanings.**

* * *

It was a quiet, peaceful day in the small beach town of Nerja, Spain. The sun shone brightly down upon the seaside village, and Antonio couldn't help but smile as he arrived for his shift at work.

The Spaniard was tall, tan, and joyful almost constantly, with curly brown hair. His sunny disposition made him highly likable and easy to socialize with. He set his bike against the building in which he worked and walked through the front door. The bell above chimed lightly, alerting the worker already present of his arrival.

"Welcome~!" A woman hurried out of the back, and when she saw who it was, she laughed. "Hey, Toni. You're a bit early."

Antonio laughed as well, loving her enthusiasm. "Hello, Ms. Bella. How are you today?"

The woman ran her fingers through her short, blonde hair, raising an eyebrow above her bright green eyes. "I told you Bella is fine. Just because I own the place doesn't mean you need to be so formal. I work the same hours and do the same things as you."

He nodded, chuckling lightly, walking behind the counter. He took his apron from it's hook and put it on, tying it around his back.

"Don't forget to clock in," she reminded him gently, knowing how often he forgot to do so. As he headed towards the back, she began to clean dirt from the counter. Once in the office, Antonio took a long, deep breath, smiling.

Working in a flower shop was a dream come true. He loved plants, and being able to care for them and being paid for it was, perfect for him. As he typed his code into the computer, he pet the small lamb ear plant on Bella's desk. These little plants were great, they really felt like a tiny lamb's soft ear!

"I'm glad you're here early, actually," Bella said as he returned to the front. "My brother is coming into town and I wanted to be there a little before him so he doesn't have to wait for me to pick him up."

"It's been a while since I've seen Lars. Say hi to him for me," Antonio chirped, putting his elbows on the counter and leaning against them as Bella took off her own apron and hung it up. "Do you think you'll stop back in with him?"

"Not sure, depends on him. I'll definitely see you later though, I'll be back to close up tonight." They said a quick goodbye, then she left, leaving Antonio to run the shop.

As soon as Bella disappeared from his view, Antonio took out his phone, pulling up a minimized tab. He had discovered recently that flowers had meanings to them, and a person could say a lot with just one. Since then, he had spent a lot of time researching the meanings.

"Let's see..." He looked around the displays for something interesting to look up. His eyes lingered on a few, and he typed them in quickly. "Daffodil... chivalry. Hibiscus... delicate beauty. Iris... inspiration."

He was so focused that, when the door burst open, he jumped, dropping his phone at the harsh clang of the bell being slammed into.

He looked up, watching as a man strode towards him. Antonio couldn't help but stare, as the man was very attractive. Soft looking dark brown hair that reflected the sun, caramel colored eyes, light pink lips, and an odd little curl that went out from his forehead and pointed up to the right. He was tan as well, and lean. His clothes fit him perfectly, hugging his shape nicely.

He was brought out of his thoughts by another loud noise: the man slapping a twenty euro note onto the counter.

"How do I passive-aggressively say fuck you in flower?" His voice was filled with irritation, but Antonio found himself liking the way it sounded anyway.

Once the question worked it's way into his brain, he squealed in excitement; his time to shine!

He rushed around the shop, taking flowers from all over and making a bouquet. When he finished, he returned to the counter, smiling triumphantly. "Here you are, sir!"

The man inspected it, then said, "It's awfully pretty for a fuck you."

Antonio couldn't help but laugh. "If you're doing it secretly, it should be." He pointed to each flower, telling him the names and meanings. "Geraniums are stupidity, foxglove for insincerity, meadowsweet is uselessness, yellow carnations say you have disappointed me, and orange lilies symbolize hatred."

The customer smiled slightly, and Antonio's heart skipped a beat. Holy crap this guy was beautiful...

"It's perfect, I'll take them," he said, pushing his money closer to the florist.

Glad to have done well, Antonio took the bill and tapped the transaction into the register. "Fourteen sixty is your total," he said, "and five forty is your change."

As the receipt printed, Antonio suddenly realized the man was going to leave and he would probably never seen him again. To give himself a little more time, he wrapped the flowers into a decorative holder, then set them gently on the counter. As the man picked them up, as well as the change beside it, Antonio quickly scribbled his name and number onto the back of the receipt, then handed it to him.

"What's your name?" he asked as the customer turned to go, wanting to know before he vanished.

The man stared into Antonio's dark green eyes for a moment, then dropped the change he had been given into the tip jar. "Lovino."

Antonio smiled, waving after him as he left.

Bella returned a few hours later with her brother, finding Antonio day dreaming by the front window, the Spaniard staring blankly up at the gently rolling clouds. She smiled at him, laughed lightly, then snapped him out of it. They talked a bit, Antonio telling her what had happened, which made the Belgian woman happy. She wished him luck, and Antonio clocked out as Bella closed up the shop for the night.

Before he left, she called out to him, giving him his phone which he had forgotten to even pick back up. He thanked her deeply, holding it tightly. He got on his bike and rode home, hoping he would receive a call from Lovino.

* * *

The next day, Saturday, Antonio woke up early. He felt refreshed and energetic, and didn't want to waste time in bed as he usually did, just in case...

A little before noon, he got a call from an unknown number. He answered it before the first ring had finished. "Hello?"

"Bloemwinkle guy?" a familiar voice asked.

"Yes! I work at Bloemwinkle! Lovino?" he asked back, hopeful.

The caller, Lovino, wasted no time with small talk. "Do you want to see what I got those flowers for?"

"Huh?"

"Come to Calahonda Beach at three. I'll meet you there."

Not giving him a chance to ask questions, Lovino hung up, ending the call. Antonio spent the next few hours getting ready: showering, and agonizing over what to wear. Lovino had been so nicely dressed the other day, he didn't want to embarrass him... He finally settled on a red t-shirt and shorts, then headed down, ten minutes early.

Lovino was already there. Antonio noticed his outfit immediately. A pastel pink button up shirt with a single button undone at the top, light khaki pants and suit coat, and formal sandals. He looked fantastic, but...

"Are you going to a wedding?" he asked as he got closer.

"Yeah, and so are you." Lovino threw a bag at him that Antonio had not seen until then. "Get dressed. It's your size."

Antonio took a step towards the beach dressing rooms, but paused, asking him, "How do you know what size I wear...?"

"I'm a tailor. I measured you yesterday, why do you think I was staring? Now go, and be snappy about it."

Still confused, but a little impressed as well, Antonio went and changed as instructed. When he returned, he was dressed similarly to Lovino, though with a slightly darker shade of khaki.

"What do you mean I'm going to a wedding, too?" he asked as Lovino looked him over.

"My twin brother is getting married, so you're my date," he said, adjusting Antonio's collar slightly.

The Spaniard blushed lightly. "B-But I wasn't invited and I have no gift for him," he protested meekly.

"Sure you do. You already gave it to him."

At Antonio's surprised look, Lovino chuckled lightly, which stole away Antonio's breath for a minute at the sweet sound.

"The bouquet, numb nuts."

The florist's eyes widened. "Oh." He couldn't say much besides this, but he was surprised even more than previously. Did Lovino hate his brother's bride so much?

As they walked towards the set up, he ventured another question. He knew he asked a lot of them, and was worried about irritating the other enough to make him tell him to leave. "So... why did you invite me?" He was also afraid of upsetting or embarrassing Lovino.

Lovino shrugged lightly and answered him with a casual tone. "I told my brother I would bring someone, and since my boyfriend dumped me, I picked you."

"How could someone dump you?" Antonio covered his mouth instantly, mortified. "I-I'm sorry, that was so rude-"

Lovino waved him off. "Nah, you're fine. I'm kind of an asshole, really. He got sick of it was all."

"I don't think you're an asshole."

Lovino blushed deeply, and Antonio smiled at how cute he looked.

"Whatever. I'm best man, so you'll be sitting in the front row. Just say you're with me if anyone asks," he said in a rush. Antonio nodded and a short while later, Lovino left to get ready.

At exactly four, the wedding began, and Antonio watched for Lovino eagerly. When he saw him, for a moment, he was confused. Lovino was leading the walk with another guy who had scarlet eyes and silver hair.

It took him a moment to piece together, but as the line continued with more groomsmen and no bridesmaids, he figured it out. Of course it was so obvious; Lovino's brother was marrying another man.

The first groom to start walking was clearly nervous, continuously and unconsciously trying to walk fast down the aisle. Slicked back blonde hair, icy blue eyes, muscles for days, and shaking like a leaf. Only the man beside him, who looked just like an older version of the other, kept him at a steady, slow pace to the alter.

Once he was at his spot, Antonio turned with the rest of the audience to see the next groom. When he appeared, Antonio was shocked how similar the brothers looked to one another, the only visual differences being lighter hair color, and his curl was was to the left. Walking him down the aisle was a man who seemed to be a combination of the twins.

Finally, the Spaniard noticed that indeed, Lovino's brother was holding the bouquet he had made the day before, and he had to hold his breath to keep from laughing out loud. Lovino had been right. It _was_ awfully pretty for a fuck you.

When the wedding ended, they continued onto the reception, and Antonio was introduced to Lovino's family, old and new.

He was nervous, but his natural cheer and easy going attitude made it simple to talk. Feliciano and Ludwig were the newly weds, Romulus and Legolas their fathers, and the man with he scarlet eyes and silver hair was Gilbert, Ludwig's brother. The pair hit it off, becoming instant friends.

About halfway through the party, Feliciano called out it was time to toss his bouquet. He thanked Antonio happily for the beautiful arrangement as those who would attempt to catch it gathered onto the dance floor. Antonio was surprised to see Lovino with them, having assumed he wasn't one for such things.

With a count down from three, Feliciano threw the flowers, and they where caught by Lovino. The florist smiled, glad he had won, even if the message was less than polite.

While he was being cheered and congratulated, Lovino walked over to Antonio. He pulled out a single flower, one that had not been put there by the Spaniard.

With a tiny smile, one that only Antonio could see, Lovino handed it to him. "What does this one mean?" he asked softly.

Antonio felt joy surge in his heart as he answered.

"A thornless rose is love at first site."


End file.
